


because i love you!

by niawheelers



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Has a Crush on Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Angry Love Confessions, Declarations Of Love, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Love Confessions, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Post-Reveal Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Post-Reveal Pre-Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Pre-Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Pre-Relationship, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:54:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29206941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niawheelers/pseuds/niawheelers
Summary: It had now been officially four months, ten days and six hours ever since Marinette had found out that her flirty, pun-lover superhero partner was non other than her charming and dreamy classmate and longtime unattainable crush.It had now been officially four months, ten days and six hours ever since Adrien had found out that his clever, courageous superhero partner and longtime crush was non other than his sweet and kind friend.Four months, ten days and six hours since the moment that changed everything.And boy, wasn't change a good thing.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 6
Kudos: 235





	because i love you!

Marinette now often wondered why the heck had she resisted the temptation of saying 'screw it' and just reveal herself to Chat Noir for so long.

It had now been officially four months, ten days and six hours ever since Marinette had found out that her flirty, pun-lover superhero partner was non other than her charming and dreamy classmate and longtime unattainable crush. 

It had all been an accident, really, and definitely not the way she had thought that the reveal would go. She had imagined different scenarios for it, both of them on top of a rooftop, hidden from any wandering pair of eyes, probably holding hands to give each other some sort of comfort in the midst of their nerves, detransformation words whispered into Paris' cold air right before they opened their eyes only to see the face of the person they trusted in the most.

What she had never imagined, not even close, would be ending up trapped inside a box with her partner himself during an alumna attack without even knowing, because they had both been trapped as civilians.

She believed that her partner could defeat the akuma, but she also knew that Ladybug was the only one who could purify the butterfly. Marinette could not stay there much longer, Paris needed her.

Marinette took a look to the inside of her purse, only to find big blue eyes already looking at her. Tikki seemed to understand what was going on inside Marinette's head, and the kwami nodded, as if saying I understand.

And so she hesitantly took a deep breath, turned to face Adrien inside that box, and with an intensity he had never seen in her eyes - at least, never directed at him - grabbed him by the shoulders before questioning "Adrien, can I trust you?"

"Of course you can Marinette, we are friends." He smiled at her softly in a way that made her insides melt, because he was just so damn cute, but now was not the time to turn back into the stuttering mess she was around him.

"What I'm about to show you, well, you can't tell anyone, okay? For your own safety." Marinette tightened her grip on his shoulders as he nodded, a little wide eyed and stunned by the seriousness in her expression. "I really wish I didn't have to do this, but I don't have much of an option. I need to get out of here and there is no other way."

"Marinette, what's going on?" Adrien frowned, growing more and more concerned with each second that passed in silence.

"Tikki," Adrien's breath hitched. "Spots on."

It had now been officially four months, ten days and six hours ever since Adrien had found out that his clever, courageous superhero partner and longtime crush was non other than his sweet and kind friend.

Four months, ten days and six hours since the moment that changed _everything_.

And boy, wasn't change a good thing.

Because now, not only were Ladybug and Chat Noir more in sync than ever, but Marinette and Adrien had become completely attached to the hip.

Sure, it had taken them a while to get used to how things were now, but they managed, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

Scratch that, of course they would.

Being around Marinette was amazing, it still baffled Adrien how there was ever a time in which he managed to live without her. She was the highlight of every day, she made him laugh like no other and cared for him in ways he thought he'd never receive, and he'd be damned if he ever lost her.

But he couldn't stop himself from wanting _more_.

Marinette and Ladybug being one and the same was both a blessing and a curse. The two most amazing girls he had ever met turned out to be just one, and if anything this newfound discovery only made him fall even more in love with her.

But there wasn't much he could do about that. Ladybug had made it clear several times that her affections were directed to someone else, and eventually he grew to accept it, he learned how to live with that pain and even tried to move on with someone else.

Eventually, what he had with Kagami ended shortly before the reveal. They both figured out they worked better as friends and while it still bummed him, and while Kagami was pretty heartbroken, he knew it was for the better. She deserved someone who would love only her and with the same intensity she did.

After the reveal it was pretty easy for Adrien to figure out Ladybug's longtime crush. 

Marinette and Luka started dating briefly after he and Kagami did, and anyone could see how happy they were together. Anyone could see the love Luka held for her in his eyes, the faint blush in Marinette's face whenever he whispered sweet words to her, and just how great they were to each other.

After the reveal, anyone could see how Adrien looked the other way whenever Luka and Marinette entered the room holding hands. How he stared at his lap and bit his lip whenever Luka made Marinette laugh. How he sometimes stared at them from afar, desperately wishing he was the one holding the girl in his arms, the one kissing her head and making her smile like that.

But he was happy for her, he really was! If anyone deserved to be happy with the one they had loved for so long, it was Marinette.

That fact doesn't take away the pain though.

But to Adrien's surprise Marinette and Luka broke up a month and a half after the masks fell off. It took a little while for Marinette to go back to being her usual bright self, but Adrien was by her side through her moving on process, making her smile even when she didn't feel like it.

Any time he dared to ask Marinette why things hadn't worked out between her and her ex she'd always avoid the question. She'd mumble something about him deserving better, and he would always stare at her in shock because how could he ever find someone better than you?

But she obviously didn't want to tell him, and he respected it. It really was non of his business.

And yet, he just couldn't help but hope. 

It was the hopeless romantic in him after all.

"Wow, that was a pretty tough akuma, huh?" Adrien stretched his legs as far as he could inside the small closet he and Marinette had sneaked into right before their transformations faded. "We haven't fought one like that in so long, but I gotta say, it was kinda fun don't you think?"

Mrinette raised her gaze from the floor to Adrien's eyes, her own widened in disbelief. "You're kidding right?'"

Adrien chuckled. "Why would I be kidding, bug?" He smirked, looking down since he towered over her. "It's always fun fighting crime by your side."

"No, it's not." Marinette spat back, and Adrien was taken aback by the frown and anger she held in place of her usual bright expression. She held her own arms with both hands as she looked to the side, biting the inside of her cheek.

The blond frowned as well. He knew there was something wrong, he just couldn't figure out what. Had he been joking too much? Had he unconsciously flirted and made her uncomfortable?

"Marinette," He put a hand on her shoulder, making her tense up under his touch. "What's wrong? Did I do something?"

It took Marinette a few seconds to find her voice and the courage to look at him back to the eye. "You died."

"Oh." Adrien forced a smile as he cocked his head to the side. "Mari, I'm right here! I'm okay, you brought me back like you always do."

"But that's the thing, Adrien!" Marinette looked up at the ceiling as she unconsciously slapped his hand off her. "What if I hadn't? What if I failed and you were gone?"

"That won't happen, you know I trust you with my life." And he did, he trusted her with his whole being.

"Well you shouldn't!" Marinette exclaimed suddenly, and that's when Adrien noticed the frustrated tears that were forming in the corner of her eyes. "You need to stop sacrificing yourself for me!"

"Marinette you know I can't do that." Adrien tried to touch her arm, only to make her flinch and jump away from him, making him grimace. "It's my job to make sure you defeat the akuma. Paris needs you." I need you went unsaid

"That's not you job! Your job is to fight by my side!" A tear fell down her cheek, and Adrien had to fight the impulse to wipe it away with his thumb. "Do you have any idea how much it hurts to see you die? To see you fade into thin air, or your lifeless body laying down completely numb on the ground? How scary it is for me?"

"I- I don't." He admitted, and truthfully, he never wanted to find out. He just knew that if he ever saw his lady die he would not know what to do. "But I can't let anything happen to you, you're too important for that."

"And what about you, huh? Aren't you important?" Marinette stomped her foot on the floor, her hands curling into tight fists by her sides.

"I am," Adrien shrugged. "But you know what I mean."

"No I don't, Adrien." Marinette continued to glare at him. "I really don't understand how you're so willing to get yourself killed."

"For you!" Adrien was starting to grow frustrated, too. "Everything I do, I do it for you!"

"Then don't! I don't want you doing anything for me!" Marinette yelled a little too loud, and Adrien knew that if they wanted to remain hidden they'd have to lower their voice. "I hate it!"

"You can't just ask me to stop." Adrien raised his hands by his sides. "You know I can't."

"Well you better," Marinette said. "Cause I can't watch you die again."

"Well I can't watch you die!" Adrien raised his voice. "I just can't."

"Oh my god, Adrien!" Marinette yelled back. "What makes you think I can? What makes you think it doesn't hurt me as much as it would hurt you?"

"Because," Adrien clenched his fists by his sides, anger filling his senses irrationally. "You don't need me the way I need you!"

"Of course I do, you idiot!" Marinette's face was red, and Adrien didn't know wether it was from anger or sadness. Maybe both. "I need you so much!"

"Why?" Adrien croaked out, and that's when he noticed the tears that were blurring his own vision. "You don't need me, Marinette! Why can't you just accept that I-"

"Because I love you!"

Adrien's whole world came to a halt for what felt like hours.

"You- you _love_ me?" He managed to breath out, barely aware of the way his whole body felt on fire and his legs felt shaky while barely holding him up.

Marinette groaned, seemingly growing even more desperate than before. "Yes! Of course I love you! I always have!"

"W- what d-" How do you speak again? How do you even breath after the love of your life confesses to you?

"And I know you don't feel the same way about me anymore and I know I'm too late but unfortunately for both of us, I just can't stop loving you!" She took both hands to her head, tangling her fingers into her hair while looking anywhere but at him. "So yeah, I know Paris needs me, but they need you too and so do I! God, I need you so much it's embarrassing, but that's just how things are."

Don't feel the same way? He was _crazy_ about her!

"Mari-"

He needed to tell her.

"It's terrifying seeing the person you love the most in this world die, okay? Specially when it's up to me if you come back or not. I hate it when it happens in my nightmares and I certainly hate it when it happens in real life!" A loud sob cut her off, making her take both hands to her mouth. "I just can't do it anymore. I can't do this without you, don't you get it?"

"Marinette-" No matter what he did, she just wouldn't stop her rambling.

"So I need you to stop dying on me because I don't even want to imagine what I would do if I lost you, Adrien! I don't ever-"

"Marinette, stop talking!" Adrien pleaded, grabbing her tightly by the shoulders and forcing her to look up at him.

He needed her to shut up.

"No!" She sniffed as more tears streamed down her face. "I'm scared, Adrien! I'm scared you'll leave me and I'm scared I'll lose you because I just love you so much and I-"

So he kissed her.

His hands moved from her shoulders to cup her face gently as she let out a sigh of surprise. The girl stayed unmoving beneath his touch, but he kept his lips on hers while trying to ignore the way his heart was rapidly beating and the warmth in his chest. The small part of his brain that could still think managed to take notice of how soft her lips felt against his, even better than he had imagined them to.

After a few seconds of him pressing his mouth to hers and her remaining unresponsive, he pulled back. He kept his eyes closed, scared that if he opened them he'd see a look of pure disgust in her face.

Maybe it had been a mistake. Maybe he should have asked. Maybe she even hated him now, and how could she not? He just-

His eyes opened widely when he felt one of her hands lay on his chest, while the other moved to the back of his neck. He didn't even have time to register what her face looked like before she pulled him back to her, and the feeling of her lips on his was even more thrilling this time because she was kissing him back.

This kiss was nothing like the previous one. The former had been, while one-sided, tender and quite short. It had only been a faint touch of lips, and his nerves managed to cloud his thoughts.

But right now, the only thing in his mind was Marinette. _Marinette, Marinette, Marinette._

This kiss was full of passion from both sides, the two of them pouring every ounce of the love they had kept hidden for too long into it. The longing, the pining, and the utter adoration they felt was poured into this one kiss. He tried to tell her everything he felt for her with the movement of his mouth against hers. _I love you, I love you, I love you._

Adrien hadn't even noticed the moment one of his hands had moved from her cheek to the small of her back, pulling her body to his and leaving no space within each other, or the way Marinette's fingers were tangled in his hair as she tried to pull him even closer.

The need to breath got the best of them, making them part their kiss before he let his forehead rest on hers. The two of them were panting, but neither let go of their hold on the other.

"I love you" Adrien breathed out once he opened her eyes, and chuckled when he saw the way her eyes widened and her head pulled back from his as she heard him. "God, Marinette, I love you so much."

"I thought you didn't want me anymore." She whispered, her thumb caressing the back of his head in a way that made his insides melt.

"Never." Adrien smiled softly at her, his own thumb caressing her cheek. "How could I ever stop loving you? You are everything, m'lady."

As soon as Marinette heard the nickname her whole face brightened up. It had been a long time since the last time he had called her that. 

Before either of them were able to speak again, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of their next class. They had already missed Ms. Mendeliev's class because of the akuma, they couldn't miss Ms. Bustier's class too.

Adrien pouted, making Marinette giggle as she booped his nose. "Let's go, mon chaton."

His face was starting to hurt by how wide he was smiling, but he just couldn't stop. "Your chaton?"

Marinette's face flushed even more, but she giggled once again. "Yeah. Mine"

If it could have been physically possible, Adrien's smile would have widened even more. "I like the sound of that."

"Good," Marinette stood on her tip-toes to peck Adrien's lips, and the surprise kiss left a goofy smile on his face. "Cause I plan to use it forever."

"I like the sound of forever even more, bugaboo."

"Yeah, you still can't call me that."

"Aw, but m'lady-"

"Let's just go, bugaboy!"

Adrien gasped as Marinette pulled him out of the closet, laughing giddily. "Don't call me bugaboy!"

When Adrien and Marinette entered they classroom hand in hand and with matching grins on their faces, the whole class erupted into cheers.

"Finally!" Alya yelled over the noise as Nino and her high-fived.

"So cute!" Rose squealed.

"Adrikins!" Chloe complained.

"I told y'all they were using the akuma attacks as excuses to make out!" Alix exclaimed.

Adrien and Marinette didn't bother to correct her.


End file.
